Puzzle.



F. A. McCABE.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-14,1919.

Patented Apr. 29,1919.

Rm mw M. WA 4 M hm A TTOR/VEVS FRANK ALBERT IVIOCABE, 9F BLACKFOOT, MONTANA.

PUZZLE.

Application filed February 14, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. MGCABE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Blackfoot, in the county of Teton and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to puzzles, and more particularly to a simple, inexpensive puzzle which is extremely entertaining, especially in view of world wide conditions at the present time, without being confusingly difiicult.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a puzzle consisting of an apparatus which may be readily carried upon the person, without inconvenience, and the solution of which may proceed from time to time, for instance, at spaced intervals, without endangering the loss at any time of previous efforts to this end.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my present invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved puzzle,

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken therethrough,

Fig. 3 is a face view of one of the two key disks,

Fig. 1 is a similar view of one of the series of regular disks, and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating the relative movement of two of the disks during the shifting of one past the other.

Referring now to these figures, my invention proposes a puzzle consisting of a body portion or body plate 10, the surface of which may be suitably ornamented or otherwise fashioned, and printed, including among other things, two lists which have under the present world wide conditions become more or less intermixed. For instance, one list may he headed Democracy and include the names of the various countries engaged in the world war, and the other list headed Chaos may include the names of conditions or attributes commonly incident to at least some of the countries under the first list.

Around the body plate 10, which is shown of rectanguluar shape in the present instance, is a continuous rail 11, disposed in the plane of the body plate as seen clearly in Fig. 2, and extendi therearound in spaced relation to the edge thereof by vn Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Apr. Serial No. 276,937.

it will be noted that the list of names above mentioned is arranged along one side edge of the body plate 10 and along this particular side edge the rail 11 has a portion l1 which is of materially reduced diameter as compared to the remaining portion of the rail extending around the other three sides of the body plate, this reduced portion 11 being connected with the body plate 10 by an arm 1:2 which is of greater diameter than the diameter of the other arms 12, for a purpose which will be presently described.

My invention also provides a series of regular disks 13 and a pair of what I have termed key disks 1 which, withthe series of disks 13, equal in number the names above mentioned printed upon the surface of the body plate 10.

Each of the disks 14: has a central opening 15 whose diameter slightly exceeds that of the largest diameter of the rail 11 so as to permit of the passage of both of the key disks 1 1 entirely around the rail with the one exception to be now mentioned. Each of the key disks is also provided with a radial slot 16 proceeding from the central opening 15 thereof to its edge and has its portions upon opposite sides of the slot 16 ziared, as indicated at 17 in relatively oppo site directions, the space cetween these flared portions adjacent to the opening 15 being greater than the diameter of the supporting arms 12 of the rail, but less than the diameter of the supporting arm 12, so that although the key disks may pass freely along the reduced section 11 of the rail, they cannot pass the supporting arm 12 I The several disks 13 of the series of regular disks each has a central opening 18 which slightly exceeds the diameter of the rail section. 11 but is less than the diameter of the rail 11, and each disk 13 has a radial slot 19 proceeding from its central opening 1.8 to the edge thereof with its portions 20'upon opposite sides of the slot flared in relatively opposite directions, the slot 19 being of a width throughout, which is greater than the diameter of the supporting arm 1%. so that the several disks 13 of the series of regular disks. which are precluded from movement on the rails 11 by virtueof their reduced openings, are freely shiiftable upon the rail section 11 throughout its entire length, and pass the supporting arm 12.

Each of the key disks has a designation 21 duplicating that of one of the names on the surface of the body plate 10, and each of the regular disks 13 has a similar designation 22, duplicating one of the names on the said list of the body plate 10, and it is the object of the puzzle to so arrange all of the disks l3 and 14 upon the section 11 of the rail, that each of said disks is brought opposite to its respective name upon the body plate.

In solving the puzzle when it becomes necessary to move any of the disks past any others, the disks are rotated in relatively opposite directions as seen in Fig. 5, so that by virtue of their slots 16 and 19 and their flared portions 17 and 20, rotation serves to shift them to relatively opposite sides of one another.

It is obvious therefore, that the puzzle will prove entertaining Without being confusingly difiicult, and may be manipulated from time to time during its solution Without danger, or very little danger, of losing the benefit of former efi'orts, through accidental displacement of the disks.

I claim:

1. A puzzle comprising a support, a rail around the support having a section of smaller diameter than the remainder thereof, a series of arms extending from the support to the rail and including an arm arranged intermediate the ends of said reduced rail section having a diameter greater than that of the remaining arms, a series of disks each having a central opening and a radial slot extending through its peripheral edge from said opening, the opening being of a diameter greater than the reduced section of the rail and. less than the remainder of the rail, and the slot exceeding in width the diameters of all of the supportmg arms, and a pair of disks each having a central opening and a radial slot extending through its edge from said opening, said opening being of a diam eter exceeding that of the rail and said slot being of a Width less than the diameter of the larger arm and greater than the diameter of the other arms, each of said disks of said series and said pair having their portions upon opposite sides of the slots thereof flared in relatively opposite directions, for the purpose described.

2. A puzzle comprising a support, a rail around the support and connected thereto at a plurality of points, and a plurality of disks movable on the rail, each having a central opening and a slot extending radially thereof through its edge from the said opening, the portions of each of said disks upon opposite sides of the slot thereof being flared in relatively opposite directions, for the purpose set forth.

3. A puzzle comprising a support, a rail around the support and connected thereto at a plurality of points, and a plurality of disks movable on the rail, each having a central opening and a slot extending radially thereof through its edge from the said open ing, the portions of each of said disks upon opposite sides of the slots thereof being flared in relatively opposite directions, said 'ail and said disks having relatively engaging means to restrict movement of certain of the disks on the rail and other means to restrict the movement of the other disks on the rail in a different respect than the first mentioned disks.

FRANK ALBERT MGCABE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of intents, Washington, D. C, 

